There's one scene where James Whitmore is giving a ride to the young orphan boy played by Tony Davis. Mr. Whitmore introduces himself as Levi Morgan, and I could swear Tony Davis replies: "Emiliano Zapata!"
Is this a playful "hint" at how Senor Zapata was first inspired to be one of Mexico's most famous pre-WWI revolutionaries?
yep, that's a hint for the mexican revolutionary Emiliano Zapata (that Brando played years before in Elia Kazan's "Viva,Zapata") Good bit part by the screenwriters.
shareAn amusing gag but one that begs the question as to when this film is set.
Note that no real names or dates are mentioned. Hardly surprising since:
-Slater wears a Confederate uniform so possibly the film is set a few years after the civil war (late 1860s)
- Emiliano Zapata was born in 1879. As the kid looks about 10-12 that would make the film occurring in 1889 (ie 24 years after the end of the civil war so Slater can't have fought in it)
- The Federale fort contains what looks like a Maxim-type machine gun in one of the 'turrets' and this would not have been around before the 1890s.
- There was no Mexican Revolution per se between 1867 (after Emperor Maximilian was deposed) and 1910 (when what is commonly known as the Mexican Revolution started).
I think we are in some form of never-never Hollywood land in which Mexicao is always in indefinite 'revolution' during the wild west period.
Well In the Trivia section on IMDB -- IT mentions this and says it would date the move at 1887
SOOOO The Confederate uniform worn by Joe Don Baker 20+ years old
?????
NEVER expect Historical Accuracy from Hollywood